YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown State University Board of Trustees has begun outlining its plans for hiring the university’s 10th president.

President Jim Tressel has said he will resign effective Feb, 1, 2023.

This week, the board of trustees announced that immediately following his end of presidential duties, an interim president will be appointed as the board searches for a long-term candidate to assume the role.

A decision on an interim president will be decided between now and the board’s next meeting in December.

The board said it plans to conduct a comprehensive and thorough national search using a national recruiting firm that will advise and assist in looking for a permanent choice for the presidency.

The last time YSU sought a candidate for the role was following the sudden departure of its eighth president, Randy Dunn, who stepped down after only seven months into his tenure, leaving to become president of Southern Illinois University.

In the wake of Dunn’s resignation, the YSU board hired AG Search Inc., a Washington D.C.-based consulting firm and formed a presidential search advisory committee to oversee the selection process. The search committee was composed of nine board of trustees members and two student trustee members.

More than 37 candidates applied for the role following Dunn. The search eventually narrowed to three finalists, including Tressel. The finalists spent a week on campus undergoing meetings and open forums before Tressel unanimously received an offer from the board in early 2014.

He signed a three-year contract with YSU and then a one-year extension through June 2021. His most recent extension included a stipulation starting on July 1, 2022, stating that Tressel’s contract as president would continue until terminated by either party with 180 days prior written notice.

Tressel’s annual salary was $375,000 when the contract was

extended.

cmcbride@tribtoday.com